Finishing of a workpiece by an initial milling operation and a subsequent grinding operation has previously been performed by separate milling and grinding machines such that two operations are involved as well as additional workpiece handling between the two processes.
The prior art discloses cutting and abrasive operations performed at the same speed as each other. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,975 Kucharczyk et al discloses a combination planing and finishing tool wherein outer cutting inserts are mounted about an inner abrasive finishing disc on the same body such that the cutting inserts and the abrasive finishing disc rotate at the same rate as each other. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,304 Honda et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,956 Honda et al disclose apparatus and a method for slicing a semiconductor ingot into thin wafer pieces by a slicing blade that is mounted on a rotary body that also supports a grinding wheel utilized to provide smooth finishing, such that both the slicing blade and the grinding wheel rotate at the same speed.